DIY Gnome Tree House

I’m so excited that Spring is finally here!   I adore the fairy garden trend, but we all know that fairies have other mythical friends who live in the woods with them.  Why not create a home for them, too?  Here’s how you can turn a tree into a happy “home” for gnomes and elves.

This post first appeared at Crafts Unleashed, where I am part of the Design Team.

Supplies:

• Wood Square Shape
  Wood Rectangle Shape
  Craft Paint
  Cardstock
  Square Paper Punch
  Waterproof Mod Podge Outdoor Formula
  Wood Grain Embossing Folder
  Brads
  Liquid Nails Glue

Step one:  Paint the wood square shapes (which will become the windows).

Step two:  Cut a piece of card stock to fit the “windows”.  Use a square paper punch to cut out four squares.

Step three:  Cut card stock to fit the rectangle and emboss it with the woodgrain folder.  I sanded the paper to bring out the pattern.

Step four:  Use Outdoor Mod Podge to attach the papers to the wood shapes.  Seal it with Mod Podge.  I like to seal mine twice to make sure I don’t miss any spots.

Embellish the door with hinges (I used grungeboard shapes from my Tim Holtz stash) and cut the prongs off a brad to glue on and make a doorknob.

I didn’t want to damage any trees, so I used Liquid Nails (a fast drying caulk-like material) to glue the doors and windows onto the tree.  The waterproof Mod Podge will protect the paper from rain, so your gnome tree house will be safe for some time!

My kids, especially my four year old, were delighted with this project.  This would be a great family craft activity!  My daughter has turned ours into a home for various creatures (currently there are several plastic animal toys out there!) which she enjoys checking on every morning.  I like looking into my yard and seeing the unexpected pop of color on the tree.  You can’t help but be happy when gnomes and elves live in your garden!

Looking for more fun DIY garden decor?  Visit my tutorials page!